GROCERY SHOPPING 101:How to save on your food storage bill!

    Okay, so grocery shopping is enough to make any one hyperventilate and when you throw the stress of trying to bulk up your food storage, it can get even worse! Here are my top tips for getting in and out while still getting the best deals. Getting you more food storage for your buck!

    Tip #1: KNOW NAME V. GENERIC BRANDS

    As you shop, be sure to compare prices of different brands. NAME BRANDS generally cost the most due to fancy packaging and advertisements-however, sometimes these can be HIGHER quality and taste BETTER than other brands as well. STORE BRANDS are sold by the supermarket chain (so you’ll see the store name on the can, i.e. Albertsons). GENERIC BRANDS have plain labels, aren’t advertised, and are generally the cheapest. Like I said before, the quality and taste between these three may differ-so it’s important to try the brands and decide which are worth paying the money for and which aren’t. What you’re willing to pay for is entirely up to you and your family-but it’s important to remember that if your family won’t eat it because they don’t like the taste-it’s a waste of money in the end. Also, be sure to compare brands that are on sale. Sometimes name brands can be cheaper than store brands because it’s on sale so be sure to LOOK around!

    Tip #2 UNIT PRICING

    The unit price is the price you pay per unit of food. Unit pricing makes it easy to compare prices (since some packages weigh different amounts-you can’t always just look at the total price). The unit price is the cost of each unit of measure. The unit of measure may be ounces, grams, pounds, quarts, liters, or gallons. Most unit pricing can be found on the price tags for the item (Hallelujah!) found on the shelf. This also lets you see how expensive some items you’re buying may actually be (like ice cream-see below). This example shows ice cream costing almost 10 cents per ounce…do you know how much an ounce is?! TWO TABLESPOONS. It just helps to put everything in perspective. ;)

    AND, have you ever noticed that sometimes the unit prices for different products go by different units? The biggest one that stands out in my mind is Costco and their toilet paper. Some units are by squares, others by length and it can be hard to compare….so CAUTION we’ll be going over a little math now.

    Computing Unit Prices

    1. Write down the cost of the food.
      Cost of the food =
    2. Write down the type and number of units in the package. (To find the number and type of units, look at the quantity listed on the package label. For example, a can of soup might contain 12 ounces. The soup has 12 units or ounces.
      Number and type of units in the package =
    3. Compute the unit price. (Here we go, are you ready?!) To do this, divide the cost of the food (Step 1) by the number of units in the package (Step 2).
      The cost of the food / number and type of units in the package = UNIT PRICE
    4. Compare the unit prices of the items to find the lowest priced item. You may want to compare the prices of food that use different units of measure. If so, you must convert them to the same unit first. For instance, you may want to compare the price of gallon of milk with 12 ounces of milk. A gallon is equal to 128 ounces.

    Tip #3: Is it a “ON SALE” or “FOR SALE” tag?

    I can hear you exclaiming….WHAT?! Who doesn’t love a good sale. You’re absolutely right! Who doesn’t love a good sale. But have you ever, for fun, peeled back the sale label (the one that covers the original price) to see how much you’re actually saving? I have…and you know what I discovered? That it is the SAME price. So the “sale” tag was really more of a “it’s FOR sale” tag than a “it’s ON sale” tag. Now, I’m not saying this is always the case but they definitely know that your eye is drawn to those tags and they put them on items not on sale to move them. I want you to take a step back the next time you’re at the grocery store and actually look at all of the tags they have hanging down an aisle. Next, look at how many of those are actually that an item is on sale. You’ll notice there is are a lot of little tags hanging down an aisle…all to get your attention and look at it. You eye is naturally drawn to bright colors and something out of place. Those tags fit both of those requirements.

    Tip #4: Complimentary Items

    The grocery store by me is pretty smart. Do you know what they put right next to their milk? OREOS, chocolate syrup, and donuts. Do you know how many people I see buy OREOS after picking up their milk? I can see the thought process in their head, “Oh, OREOS! Those sound good…and I did just get some milk. That will be a fun treat!” The best part about this marketing trick is that YOU come up with the idea (with a little guidance from them). The brain functions by making associations so they put complimentary items next to each other and your brain does the rest. Don’t believe me? Next time you’re at the store go down your ice cream aisle. I can guarantee you’ll find ice cream toppings, ice cream scoops, etc very close by.

    Tip #5 Don’t take their word for it!

    Think about who is sending you the message, the grocery store. It takes your brain seeing a message 7 times or less for it to be ingrained, with out you even noticing what is happening. So of course, grocery stores will put big signs up that they are “Low price leaders” have the “Lowest prices” etc. Become an educated shopper so you know the prices and can make good judgements.

    Tip #6: READ THE TAG

    My personal experience to highlight this is…One day, I was at the grocery store looking to buy some name brand butter that was on sale (cheaper than the store bought brand, who doesn’t love that?!). When I got to the butter section I noticed they didn’t have a lot of the name brand butter left. But no worries, the store brand butter tag said it was the same price. OR SO I THOUGHT. On closer examination, the store had filled the holes where the name brand butter had been with the store brand butter. I even asked a store associate if they were price matching the ad or something. The answer was NO. I bet a lot of people bought butter that day and paid more for it than they thought. This goes for all types of sales. Be sure the variety you’re purchasing is included in the sale and that the price and item totally match.

    Tip # 7: Beware of end of aisle displays

    Some grocery stores actually cater everything around the “Grab and Go” shopper. The type that needs to get in and get out and doesn’t care about the cost. These end of aisle displays are meant for convenience in shopping. The same Oreo and milk grocery store by me always has milk, eggs, and butter by the cash registers. It’s brilliant, it saves you time, possibly reminds you of something you forgot and it removes the products from the others so you can’t make a good judgment on whether it’s the cheapest option for you!

    Tip #8: Don’t buy anything while you’re waiting to check out!

    They are so clever those marketers. They put toys, candy, cold drinks, ice creams, and juicy magazines all around you while you’re waiting in line. It’s even better if you have a young child who notices the toys and candy because you’ll never hear the end of it until you leave the store….or BUY it for them. Which is exactly what they are hoping. All the items are small but it’s the ONE MORE item they are hoping to get you to pick up while you’re standing there. If you need a good line to tell your kids, I’ve found it works for mine and it may work for yours as well. “No, we’re not going to get (fill in the blank) we have plenty of (fill in the blank) at home. We need to leave that here for people who don’t have any at their house.”

    Tip #9: Read your receipt or watch the prices as they ring them up.

    If you don’t do this, I can guarantee you’re paying more for items. I notice a mistake at least a couple times a month on my groceries. Most often, the price is incorrect in the computer. And, yes, I’m one of those annoying shoppers that will make the cashier send the bagger to go and check the price on the tag. and I would suggest you do the same! You can also grab the sales ad and keep it with you and show the checker if it is in the ad. But, PLEASE, don’t spend more for an item that the STORE is advertising is on sale.

    Tip #10: Not all packaging is equal


    Not all packaging is equal…in weight I mean. So, let’s say you’re going to buy celery and all the bags say they weigh 2 pounds and cost 99 cents. What they really mean is weigh ABOUT 2 pounds. What does that mean for you? Well, to get the biggest bang for your buck, pick the three you think look/weigh the most. Then go over to the scale and weigh them and buy the heaviest one. (This is REALLY fun for kids to do as well!) This goes for bags of oranges, potatoes, and anything in a bag.

    Tip #11: Try and find the biggest one you can!


    Anything you buy that is a price per unit (i.e. 99 cents for A head of lettuce) and isn’t a price per pound, you want to use the same trick as above. Try and get the largest/heaviest one you can find, this well get you the most for your money. Produce that is usually sold PER item and not per pound may be: Green Peppers, Lettuce, ORANGES, Watermelon, etc.

    Tip #12: READ THE SIGNS-carefully!


    Again, READ the signs. Organic produce is right next to regular produce and does cost (a lot) more. Also, make sure you are looking to see if the price is per pound or per item. I’ve noticed (because I fell for it once) that Wal-Mart sells their oranges PER orange not per pound…which isn’t cheap!

    Tip #13: Take a minute and pick produce that is ripe and good quality


    Pick produce that is ripe-so you’ll eat it! There is nothing worse than bringing home mealy apples or squishy grapes. Here is a quick guide from Good Housekeeping to know how to pick your produce correctly.

    Fruit Signs they’re fresh Signs you shouldn’t buy
    Apricots Uniform golden color; firm to the touch Pale yellow or greenish-yellow color; rock hard or very soft; shriveled
    Cantaloupe Delicate aroma; yellow-tinged skin; thick texture on the rind; no stem Pronounced yellow rind; very sweet, pungent aroma; soft rind
    Cherries Average to large size; smooth, shiny surface; new-looking stems Shriveled, dried stems; dull sheen
    Grapes Tender and plump; firmly attached to the stem; green grapes may have a slight amber blush Brown, brittle stems; wrinkled surface; leaking juice
    Honeydew Delicate, pleasant aroma; creamy yellow rind; soft, velvety texture Green, smooth, hard rind; very sweet, pungent aroma
    Nectarines/Peaches Plump; firm, with a slight cushion; white or yellow color with a red blush Very cushiony; shriveled or prunelike
    Oranges Heavy; firm, smooth texture Rough texture; lightweight; dull; dry or spongy
    Watermelon Cream-colored underside; symmetrical shape Misshapen, with cushiony spots
    Vegetable Signs they’re fresh Signs you shouldn’t buy
    Asparagus Straight, green stalks; closed tips Open tips; curved or rough texture
    Bell Peppers Thick; bright; glossy skin; firm Soft spots; shriveled
    Broccoli Firm; deep green color; closed florets Yellow color; open florets; soft; slippery; water-soaked spots
    Carrots Bright orange; smooth; firm Rough texture; green roots; wilted; soft spots
    Green Beans Long pods; straight; firm; crisp Bent pods; blemishes; wilted or loose pods
    Onions Dry; papery; smooth skin; small necks Green spots; leathery depressed spots
    Potatoes (white) Firm; oval shape; smooth Odd shape; shriveled or green-tinged; bruised
    Tomatoes Plump; rich overall red color; slight cushion; smooth Shriveled, with blemishes; water-soaked spots; depressed areas

    From: Good Housekeeping

    Tip #14 : Buy meat on SALE and stock up!

    Meat (especially beef) is sky rocketing right now. And, like anything else it goes on sale-that is when you should buy it-alot of it! It will save you at least $1 a pound and if you’re buying meat that is at least 3 pounds that saves you at least $3-which is a lot of money in terms of grocery shopping. The easiest meat to do this with is hamburger. I’ve got some ideas for that in my video below.

    Tip #15 : Quality v. Quantity

    So I realize these two tips may contradict themselves but it’s just like anything else. Don’t get suckered into buying a meat that is really cheap (and poor quality) that you’ll hate using and wasting. For example, for me I’ve learned I hate the ground beef sold in “chubs” (the pre-packaged tubes) because I don’t like how it tastes and it has a lot of fat. It’s worth it to buy what you’ll actually USE even if it is a little more.

    Tip #16: READ THE LABEL

    This is starting to sound familiar, right? Look and see what you’re actually paying PER pound. I know a lot of people buy stew meat because the total cost is only a couple of dollars, however, it’s almost $4 a pound (at least where I live) a total RIP OFF! This will also let you know fat content on items such as hamburger. And, additionally it will let you know the “grade” of meat, where in the world your meat came from, the day it was packed and the sell by date.

    Tip #17 : Know your “GRADE” of meat

    The USDA has three grades (or quality levels) of meats.

    • USDA Prime Grade: In appearance, you will notice distinctive marbling throughout the cut, which enhances both the flavor and texture. Fine hotels and restaurants generally use USDA Prime; however, some USDA Prime is available to retailers.
    • USDA Choice Grade: While USDA Choice is also a very high quality of beef, it has less marbling than USDA Prime Grade Beef. Some have found some slight loss of texture and flavor in certain cuts. However, USDA Choice roasts and steaks from the loin and rib are still very tender, juicy, and boast of great flavor.
    • USDA Select Grade: The lack of marbling throughout a cut of USDA Select Grade Beef will still render it to be fairly tender; however, it will lack the juiciness and flavor that are predominant traits of USDA Prime and USDA Choice Grades.

    Some grocery stores make up their own name, like “Rancher’s Reserve” or something like that. Usually, that’s done to hide what the quality is and to make you think it’s higher quality than it really is (which is usually the select grade).

    Tip #18: Become friends with your butcher

    I actually only buy meat from grocery stores with butchers. The meat is fresher (since they are cutting it there), you can ask them questions, and get them to do you favors! You should know that butchers can grind, slice, chop, etc. your meat if you ask. (CAUTION: Some will charge you so make sure you ask first, most will do it for free.) Also, if you’re friendly they will help you more with insider info on sales and better cuts of meat.

    You can do things like

    1. buy pork loin on sale and then have them slice it into pork loin pork chops (usually, very expensive)
    2. buy roasts on sale and ask them to grind it for you (making your own hamburger!). Hamburger is generally mystery meat and high in fat. If you do this, you can get hamburger cheaper than what they are selling the regular for and it’s a better quality meat and lower in fat! (In fact, Del, (my pie crust friend) does this when sirloin is on sale and then she has ground sirloin for cheap!
    3. some butchers will also cube your meat if you ask, although, I like my cubes smaller than they generally cut them.
    4. you can ask them to pick out a good looking piece of meat (a.k.a well marbled, tender part of the muscle, etc.)

    Tip #19 : KNOW your meat.

    All meat is NOT equal. And I’m not just talking the differences between chicken, pork, and beef. It helps to know what you’ll be using the meat for to know which cut (or portion) you should buy. I figure the trickiest part for everyone is beef so you can click HERE to download a chart about beef from the National Cattleman’s Beef Association that will tell you some great ways to use the meat. If you’re still confused, you can watch this clip from “Good Eats-with Alton Brown” which at least explains a little more about roasts and what the best kind to use for pot roast and another clip about which meats you can use for steaks with out paying a lot.


    (Just watch the first couple minutes)

    (Just watch the first couple minutes)


    (watch from minutes 4:17-5:51)

    Tip #20 : Cut your own Stew, Fajita, and Stir Fry Meat

    Have you ever noticed that stew & stir fry meat almost seems magical…where does the stuff come from? I’m pretty sure they want you to believe that it doesn’t come anywhere except for them and they’d like you to spend the $4-5 a pound for it. Even if you look at those handy charts in your Betty Crocker or Better Home and Garden cookbook they never say where stew, fajita, and stir fry meat come from. It’s clever, actually-what they really do. They get large cuts of meat and then further subdivide the meat into roasts, steaks, etc. In that process they get scraps…which they cube, slice, or ground (like in hamburger)….and sell to you as “stew meat” and other types of already cut meat at a VERY HIGH price. Nice, right? Or, I had a butcher admit to me that he actually cuts the cheap tough meat and sells it as stir fry meat for $3-4 dollars MORE a pound…another good reason to KNOW your meat. So the best thing to do is to know the best cuts of meat for cutting your own stew meat cubes, fajita slices, and so on. That way, when the price is right you can stock up and save a bundle!

    Stew Meat
    (Some people think it’s better to use a higher quality of meat to make a stew better but that is actually incorrect. The name of the game for stew meat is TOUGH meat. Tough because it is going to be slow cooked AND it actually has a stronger flavor which is perfect for mingling with all of the other vegetable flavors.)

    • Chuck
    • Round
    • Bottom Sirloin
    • London Broil
    • Brisket

    Kabob & Stir Fry Meat
    (Because this is cooked fast over high heat, tough meat isn’t the best option even though it may be cubed like stew meat. You want good grilling meat)

    • Top Sirloin (THE BEST)
    • Cross Rib
    • London Broil (sometimes)

    (Click HERE for more info on the FoodSaver I use)

    Tip #21 : Buy larger pieces of meat and cut them up

    So this is pretty similar to the tip above, but it’s more broad. Think of it-you could get chicken breasts for under 69 cents a pound. You can buy larger cuts of beef and get steaks, stew meat, etc. It can be kind of advanced so for a great book with pictures and good explanation you can check out this book. Cutting Up in the Kitchen: The Butcher’s Guide to Saving Money on Meat & Poultry Really, the easiest way to start this idea is with whole chickens-however, cutting up a whole chicken is definitely intimidating. So enter, Alton Brown again (this is originally from an episode about frying chicken so you can stop watching once he is done cutting it.

    The Grocery Ads Quick Tips

    This can sometimes be the hardest part with so many ads to go through and so little time-so let me break it down for you…

    1. If you’re short on time only look at the front and last page of each ad-this is where they place the BEST sale items (so if you’re wondering if it’s a good price-most likely, these prices are the best they have to offer). A lot of times the middle pages are full of regular priced items that they are hoping you’ll think are on sale since it’s listed in their ad.
    2. Keep an ongoing list in your kitchen of what you need to buy-this will make it easy for you to know the MUST items on your list with out having to jog your memory which will save you on those last minute trips to the store because you forgot something.
    3. After you know what is on sale make your menu around those items-so if broccoli is on sale, it may be the perfect time to make Beef and Broccoli or Chicken Divan, if ground beef is on sale it may just be the perfect time to have Sloppy Joes…you get the idea. This will not only help you decide what to make that week but will also save you money.
    4. Categorize your list-organize it by what you are getting at each store and then group the items together (i.e. all the frozen foods together, etc.)
    5. Look for coupons- You don’t have to do this but if you are into couponing there are a lot of online resources to help you (www.couponmom.com, www.coupontom.com or www.theobsessiveshopper.net) I usually do a quick run through to see if there are any online coupons I can print.
    6. Use Deals to Meals-Let someone else do the hard work for you! See what the best prices are around town (even compared to Wal-mart, Costco, and Sams Club) and get menu plans around what is on sale for about a dollar a week!

    GETTING THE SHOPPING DONE

    Okay, we went over how to prepare for the grocery store and how to be a smart consumer so now it’s time for my top tips for getting the grocery shopping done! (Monday will be my last installment-WHERE to put it all)

    1. When you purchase something you’re running out of, buy two. The plan is to always have at least one on hand (to help build your 3 month supply)
    2. Don’t go to the grocery store hungry or you’ll be tempted to buy items not on your list-items you don’t really need.
    3. If you have kids-don’t try and sneak a quick trip to the store in with hungry and or tired kids. It just isn’t worth it (says the mom who has left the grocery store completely embarrassed with two melting down crying kids). Go after nap time or early in the morning when they are more likely to cooperate with you.
    4. If you don’t know if the price of an item is high or low, watch the price for a couple of weeks.
    5. Get your cold and frozen items at the end. This will keep these important items…well cold and frozen!
    6. Shop at off-peak times. If you shop late at night or early in the morning during the week, you can often find meat and baked goods at clearance prices. And best of all, the checkout lines will be short! I finally decided it was worth it to hit Wal-mart at 8:30 in the morning because it is VACANT. No lines and not a lot of people-I can get in and out in 30 minutes or less-a miracle if you’ve ever shopped Wal-mart around 11:00!
    7. Shop multiple stores at once! If you have a Super Wal-mart near you, you can price match competitors ads. That is like shopping all the stores near you at one store! This is what I do and it saves a A TON of time. If you’ve never price matched before it’s really simple,here is what I do…I separate my cart into “price match” and “non-price match” items. I send the non-price match items on the conveyor belt first and TELL the checker that I also have price match items. (The easier you can make it for the checker-the better your outcome will be.) Then all you need to do is tell the checker what the price of the price match items should be and show it to them on the ad. (Some checkers don’t care to see the ad but some do-so I always keep the ads in my purse-that way if I’m making an impromptu visit to the store I can check all the prices and then compare it to the Wal-mart price and get the cheapest price around town.) It may sound like a lot of work-but trust me it is much faster and cheaper to make ONE trip (especially with multiple kids) than several trips to visit all the local grocery stores. NOTE: Wal-mart won’t match store specific coupons (like a coupon specifically for that store-they WILL accept manufacturer coupons) and they won’t match buy one get one free sales. Also, if the item on sale is a store brand, i.e. Kroger, all you need to do is purchase the Wal-mart brand and they will match the price.